Leigh Boobyer
BBC News, Wiltshire
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Children will be able to receive up to 10 free lessons
More than 6,000 children across Wiltshire will be eligible for free swimming lessons this summer as part of a pilot scheme.
The lessons have been made available to children who are part of Wiltshire Council’s FUEL programme, as well as pupils in secondary schools who received free school meals.
Up to 10 lessons will be provided at council-run leisure centres with a pool, such as Marlborough Leisure Centre and Calne Community Campus.
Councillor Jon Hubbard, cabinet member for education at Wiltshire Council, said “a few pennies behind the sofa” helped pay for the scheme.
Mr Hubbard told BBC Radio Wiltshire the extra money for the swimming lessons cost £45,000, and money had been used from Public Health England funding and the children’s services budget.
“For some of our young people who have six or seven weeks at home without school, having these positive and fun activities for them to go and take part in is a really important thing we offer”, he said.
“I want them to have fun. I want them to have positive activities to be able to look back on and say, ‘that was a really cracking time we’ve had’.
Five Rivers Health and Wellbeing Centre in Salisbury is among the pools taking part
“And to have made new friendships, had a positive experience and something they can build happy memories.”
He said schools would have told parents whether they were eligible, and sent out an invitation for the FUEL programme.
Parents of children eligible for free school meals needed to show proof of the entitlement at a pool.
A full list of the swimming pools at which the lessons will be held can be found here:
- Bradford on Avon
- Calne Community Campus
- Devizes Leisure Centre
- Durrington Swimming and Fitness Centre
- Five Rivers Health and Wellbeing Centre
- Lime Kiln Leisure Centre, Royal Wootton Bassett
- Marlborough Leisure Centre
- Melksham Community Campus
- Olympiad Leisure Centre, Chippenham
- Springfield Community Campus, Corsham
- The Activity Zone, Malmesbury
- The Vale Community Campus, Pewsey
- Tidworth Leisure Centre
- Trowbridge Sports Centre
- Warminster Sports Centre
- Westbury Pool
Wiltshire Council said the scheme would be reviewed in autumn after it finished.